Speaking at a press conference in the southern city of Katowice on Wednesday, Aleksandra Gajewska said that the level of provision of nursery care in Poland sits at 36 percent, and asserted that no parent should have to decide if they can afford to have children based on financial constraints.
The government has allocated PLN 6.5 billion (EUR 1.5 billion, USD 1.7 billion) to the Active Toddler program, which aims to create 102,000 new spots in nurseries and children's clubs nationwide, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure that families can access high-quality childcare without undue financial stress.
The comprehensive measures underline the Polish government's proactive approach to fostering a supportive environment for families, ensuring that the economic considerations do not hinder the vital early years of a child's development, according to the government.
Gajewska, who is a deputy minister for family, labor and social policy, encouraged local governments to engage with this initiative and take advantage of another program that offers up to PLN 300,000 for adapting facilities to meet the needs of young children.
Additionally, facilities can receive PLN 8,000 per month to cover operational costs until the end of the year, Gajewska said.
Moreover, the Active Parent program introduces three types of benefits designed to support parents in various situations, she added.
Aleksandra Gajewska. Photo: Gov.pl, CC BY 3.0 PL <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/pl/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons
The first, "active parents at work" or the "grandparent benefit," provides PLN 1,500 monthly for two years, assisting parents from the 12th to the 35th month of a child's life.
The second benefit supports parents whose children attend a nursery or similar childcare facility, offering up to PLN 1,500 per month.
The third benefit, aimed primarily at home-staying parents of children between 12 and 35 months who do not meet the employment activity criteria, mirrors the conditions of the existing family care capital. This includes a new provision that extends financial support of PLN 500 monthly for 24 months to every child, including first-born or only children.
The Polish government in April announced plans to upgrade its childcare system, with new benefits and incentives for caregivers of children under age 3.
Family, Labor and Social Policy Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk told reporters at the time that the country's childcare law would be revised to grant daycare caregivers the status of public officials.
Dziemianowicz-Bąk and Gajewska have said that expanding the childcare system for the youngest is a top priority for their ministry.
Poland's Family, Labour and Social Policy Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk (right) and her deputy Aleksandra Gajewska (left). Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP